CROWD trouble caused a football cup clash to be abandoned minutes before the final whistle.

A touch-line fracas at the Clwyd League Presidents’ Cup tie between Shotton Steel reserves and Llandyrnog United reserves forced the referee to stop the game in the 80th minute.

Clwyd Division Two side Shotton was 2-0 up against Llandyrnog, at the Reserve Premier League outfit’s home ground.

A Shotton player was sent off in the first half for bad language, according to those at the game.

But as the match headed towards the final whistle, the referee handed another red card to the Shotton side after a heavy challenge by one of the division two club’s players.

It is understood the Llandyrnog player reacted to the foul and was also sent off.

As the players approached the changing rooms a fracas broke out involving five to six people supporters on the side-lines and the Shotton player eye-witnesses report.

The referee made the decision to abandon the game "for the safety of the players", according to club and league sources last night.

North Wales Police was not called to break up the "crowd trouble" which affected a handful of supporters.

Mark Goldsmith, league chairman, said: "I can’t comment on the incident itself but having games abandoned like this is something we don’t need.

"It’s bad for the game at a local level and sends out the wrong message. But I’ve played in thousands of games and have only been involved in two abandoned fixtures, so thankfully this is a very rare event."

Keith Owen, general secretary of the North Coast Football Association, said: "I’m aware of what happened but I can’t comment further until the referee’s report is formally submitted."

But Llandyrnog chairman Gary Lewis said: "I think the referee has totally over reacted here and has panicked.

""Both teams ended up in the Golden Lion pub together after the game with no further problems."

This view was not shared by Craig Sawyer, secretary of Shotton, who said he believed the game needed to be stopped in order to calm the confrontation down.

But he said that both clubs and players had ended the evening with the traditional shared pint of beer.

The clubs could now face a full FA of Wales investigation into the incident.

Fines or even ejection from the cup competition could be on the cards if either club is found to be at fault for the melee.

The referee’s report into the match is expected to be handed in by tomorrow evening.

North Wales Coast FA will then decide what steps need to be taken.

Among the issues the FA will have to address, under its own rules, is whether there was a failure to "ensure that a private way is provided for players and officials from the playing ground to the dressing room whenever this is practicable at every ground within the jurisdiction of that Member of the Association".